Since starting my Halloween-season retrospective series, I’ve made it a point to avoid the slasher genre of horror movies. My reason for this was admittedly obvious, but I knew instantly that I’d be covering the latest installment in the “Halloween” franchise on the 31st when it was released, since the series itself is an interesting case of fluctuating quality. Given that most of the sequels to the John Carpenter classic were rather superfluous, low-quality efforts, my expectations for this one were admittedly quite low, since it appeared to be coasting on franchise legacy and the presence of longtime cast member Jamie Lee Curtis to get a bigger audience. As much potential as this movie had to be a self-indulgent train-wreck, however, this movie did nearly everything right by trimming the fat of the series, showcasing a genuine love for the slasher genre it inhabits, and being a strong standalone example of that genre in its execution. In fact, it’s unambiguously the best installment of the “Halloween” series since the original film that started it all.
Ignoring every sequel that came before it, this film takes place forty years after the events of Michael Myers’ defeat at the end of the first movie, during which Myers escapes while being transferred to a new rehabilitation facility. Leading up to this, two true crime podcasters arrive at the house of survivor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), now isolated and traumatized by Myers’ initial attack and alienated from her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) by spending the last four decades preparing and arming herself for Michael’s violent return. In spite of the terrifying excess of her preparation, however, Laurie may not be completely in the wrong, as Michael soon walks a murderous path to Haddonfield, Illinois, killing anyone who attempts to stop him and several others who don’t. Upon his bloody return, it becomes terrifyingly clear that Michael is after Laurie once again, and that, one way or another, Michael Myers cycle can only end with the meeting of long-separated siblings on yet another Halloween night.
The first of many wise decisions behind this movie is the approach of making a direct sequel to the original, rather than another installment in a larger series. This was a genius move given both the cluttered nature of the series up to this point and the ambiguous nature of the original film’s ending, which paints Laurie’s personal struggles with glorious shades of grey. Fans of this or other slasher franchises are right to sympathize with Laurie’s struggle and fears, but the fact that the intervening four years have alienated her from her family is far from unexamined, and not since Sarah Conner from the “Terminator” franchise have I seen such a compelling flaw be given to a returning protagonist. Granted, this depth could only have gone as far as the performance behind the character, but Jamie Lee Curtis certainly delivers as Laurie. Her attachment to the role and the franchise may have aided her new take on the character considerably, but it’s truly remarkable how simultaneously relatable and repellent Curtis makes her response to Michael’s first killing spree- she’s neither the unmistakable voice of reason, nor the crazy lunatic in this scenario. It’s also refreshing to see a relatively likable supporting cast in a slasher movie, and while some of the deaths are fairly predictable, the characters themselves manage to be either sympathetic or entertaining enough to warrant horror at their demises or peril. I especially like Allyson, who could have been annoying in her teenage sarcasm, but manages to be legitimately funny and likeable thanks to her chemistry with the rest of the cast. What truly makes the 2018 “Halloween” stand out, however, is the love and appreciation of the original demonstrated through cinematic language. There are quite a few moments homaging or outright channeling the original movie, but they’re sparingly used, and the self-awareness never becomes smug or overly comedic like in “Scream”. It also helps that the cinematography and sound design are fantastically on-point. While the iconic piano theme from Halloween is used quite a bit, the film truly shines in its use of silence whenever Michael is off-screen or present in some unknown way. This use of silence builds such palpable tension that I’m sure one could hear a pin drop in the middle of the theater. Mixing this with the camera work and great use of perspective during the more frightful scenes makes for a fun, yet still fairly creepy experience, and the only criticism I can think of for this movie is that its appeal is somewhat limited to the slasher movie audience. That’s still a minuscule point against it, though, since 2018’s “Halloween” is a well-acted, expertly paced, and beautifully filmed love letter to a classic, and I’m glad this was the film I capped the season off with.
In the meantime, Happy Halloween, viewers. Go out and enjoy this one, if you can.
Rich Reviews 